Sign



Illy. s.

SIGN

Filed Aug. 26, 1929 fij.

RNEY

INVENTOR T R. WLLWERSCHEID June 21, 1932.

Theodor R. Wz llwe rschcid resents the front plate of a sign ordinarily` Patented June 21, 1932\ UNITED STATES4 PATENT' OFFICE THEODOB R. WILLWERSCEE'ID, .OF CLEmAND, OHIO SIGN Application med August 26, 1929. Serial No. 888,425.

My invention relates to improvements in that type of sign wherein the letters or characters of the sign are spelled out by a pluralit of reflecting glass buttons. `As this type 5 o sign is ordinarily constructed, the glass buttons are held within a housin with a refleeting portion of the housing ack of the button, and the back plate of the sign supports a plurality of holders into which the ousings holding the buttons are fitted, with the buttons projecting through openings in the front plate of the sign, to form the letters or characters upon the face ofthe front plate.

A145 Myinvention consists of new, improved means for supporting the button in the front plate of the sign, eliminating the holders ordinarily carried by the back plate.

The above and other features of my invention will be more specically pointed out in the -following description and the accompaning drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the front plate of a sign fitted with m invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view on 'ne 2 2 of Figure 1, showing one step in placing the parts together. l

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2, with the parts placed together,

but before the button housing is clamped in fixed position; and

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the button and holder, with buttons shown in finally clamped position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A repmade of metal. In this plate are formed openings to receive a reiiecting button.' The front plate, in use, will have a plurality of 40 these openings to spell out the letters or charaoters constituting the sign, and the sign itself may be of any desired construction, as

the ordinary highway sign, etc. The sups porting mechanism for the reflecting button, constituting the essence of this invention, the

general sign construction is not, therefore, specifically shown.

In carrying out my invention, I provide i the ring I am enabled to pass it through the opening 5 in the plate, then, allowing the 55 ring to spring outwardly, to interlock with the plate, as shown in the drawing. The reflecting button may be of the construction shown in the drawing, or any desired construction.

In the form shown, a reflecting button in the form of a glassball 6 is held within a housing 7, the upper edge of the housing 7 being clamped over the button above its medial line to hold the button within the housing. The inner wall of the bottom of the housing 8 acts as a reflecting surface to reiiect the rays of light passing through the button. The bottom portion of the housing,

in the 'form shown, is bent to form shoul- 70"' ders 9.

In placing the parts together, the button and housing are shoved upwardly into the ring 2 in the position shown in Figure 3, I

with a portion of the glass button projecting 75 beyond the sign plate. The bottom of the ring is then bent inwardly over the bottom' of the housing or shoulders 9 as shown in Figure 4, to hold the button locked in position. It will beunderstood, that in order that the button may not be pushed throu h the opening the ring, where it enga este?, plate, must be slightly smaller than t e'cen-` tral diameter of the button, and, that the ring itself below the opening must either Hare out or be otherwise large enough in diameter to l receive the button.

While I have shown a standardY form of reiiecting button, any `desired form of reflect'- ing button may be used, as aglass ball withform of housing shown in the drawing, or a cylinder with a curved face, or any other form of reflecting button.

The object of my invention is to provide means, as the ring shown, arranged vin connection with an opening in the plate,.to entirely form a support for the button upo'n the front plate, eliminating the use of any` means upon a back sign plate for holding the button in position. In the ordinary construction, clips or holders are welded upon a back plate, and the button with its housing isA snapped into these clips or holders, and the front plate placed over these buttons, wlth the buttons projecting through the 'corresponding openings in the front plate. This necessitates a very accurate alinement between the clips or holders upon the back plate, and the openings in the front plate, so that any variation in the aligning position between the clips and openings of the front plate prevents the button being centered with respect to the openings.

1 This difficulty in sign construction is entirely obviated in my construction, the butixn being entirely supported by the front p a e.

Whilel I have shown in the drawing a split ring or ferrule constructed to expand into a gripping position in the opening in the front plate, I do not restrict myself to this particular construction, but may modify the particular construction shown without departing from the ideas of my invention as embodied in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In a reflecting device, in combination with a supporting plate formed with an opening, a reflecting button, an enclosing ferrule.

for saidbutton, means for holding said button from forward movement through said ferrule, consisting of an inturned portion of said ferrule projecting into anchoring enga ement with said button, and means for anc oring said ferrule within the opening in said plate, said anchoring means engaging with the outer and inner faces of said plate. 2. In a reflecting device, in combination with a front plate formed with an opening, means for supporting a reflecting button within said opening, consisting of a ferrule, said ferrulebeing bent inwardly to circumferentially` overlap a portion of said button in order to keep it from passing through the ferrule, a flange carried by said ferrule overlapping the exterior face of said plate, and means carried by said ferrule engaging with the inner face of said plate in opposition to the flange engaging the outer face of the plate and for the purpose set forth.'

3. A rellecting device, comprisin in combination with a front plate forme with an opening, means `for supporting a reflecting ing in said plate, for the Fur ose set forth.

button within said o ening, consisting of a ferrule portion embo ying means for physi` cal engagement with the button to clamp the button within the ferrule, and means remov able without permanent deformation associated with said ferrule portion for engagement with opposite'sides of theV front plate adjacent the opening in said plateto hold said ferrule portion clamped within the openn testimon whereof my si ature. .THEODO R. WILLWERSC EID. 

